In the Flesh
by pinkskyline
Summary: Benny's back, and he has a proposition for Dean. Who brought Benny back, and what do they want? And how will Sam and Dean's allies react to having a vampire in their midst?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Season 9 excitement is happening! I hope something similar to this happens this season. As usual, I don't own or profit from Supernatural.**

Dean tried not to fidget as Castiel launched into full lecture mode. He was clicking through slides like a corporate lackey, and Dean imagined he knew why Charlie had been hanging with Cas for the past couple of hours. She'd made him a slide show. The guy was trying. He was guilty about the way Metatron had used him, and trying to make amends. Cas felt useless, now that he was human, so he was trying to help the only way he knew how—by sharing his knowledge of angels.

Only they already knew everything he was saying. Having Castiel say it out loud in his monotonous deep voice was only disheartening to everyone who heard him.

"The angels that were thrown out of heaven are relentlessly looking for vessels. That accounts for the profusion of spontaneous human combustion in the last few weeks, many of whom had their eyes burned out. These angels without bodies are incredibly difficult for us, as humans, to fight. Even I can't look directly at them, and an angel killing sword is useless if you can't get near them. Because most angels were never intending to leave heaven, they don't know the protocols for finding a vessel. Many are torturing people for their consent, and then it turns out they aren't true vessels and get burned out from the inside anyway—"

Dean interrupted. He had to. Being the closest thing they had to a general, he knew you don't just sit your troops down and tell them the worst case scenario and nothing else. Charlie looked like she was on the point of tears, Garth hadn't made an inappropriate comment in hours, Kevin _was_ crying, and Sam was slumped in his seat, looking worse than he had in days. "Cas, thanks. I think we all know the negatives of the situation. The positives are that when they _are_ in people, we can kill them. And most of them have found vessels, because attacks have gone down substantially. There's only been four human combustions reported in all of America this week."

"And they can't zap around," Sam said. Of course Sam had caught on to what he was trying to do, and he was backing Dean up. Dean allowed himself a moment of sheer relief that Sam was with him, even if his health still wasn't perfect. Soon he'd be well enough to hunt and they could do something about all this stuff. Sam alive was worth all the demons of hell having access to the Earth—and demons might come in handy, now there were so many angels around who apparently could care less about humanity. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that.

"And we're safe from angels here, right? I mean, this bunker is like, super-duper angel proof, right?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Dean said. "You're safe here, Charlie."

"It's not at all certain that angel proofing will work on these creatures," Castiel said. "There's no way of knowing what effect the burning of their wings had on the effectiveness of sigils—"

Dean held up his hand. "It would have worked on you, though, right? I mean, you could come in if we let you in, but when all the doors were closed, you couldn't find us."

"So it'll be safe now," Sam concluded, not allowing Castiel to finish his answer.

"Okay," Charlie said. "Cool. I mean, it sounds crazy to be afraid of angels, though, right? Aren't they supposed to be nice and grant wishes or whatever?"

"They're warriors of God, not leprechauns," Garth said.

"Leprechauns don't grant wishes. Fairies are dicks," Dean put in. "But Garth's right. You should think of angels as warriors—although, Cas, are they _all_ warriors? I mean, Metatron said he was a scribe or a bureaucrat or whatever."

"There are many angels who are less able warriors, but all should be considered to have martial capabilities," Cas said, his face grim.

Dean sighed heavily. And now he'd reminded Cas of Metatron again. Not that that dick angel was ever far from Cas's thoughts—but he'd had moments, reminiscent of those when he'd been crazy with Sam's hell suffering, when he'd basked in the beauty and enjoyment of being human. Those were few and far between, and Dean worried that that cynical Cas he'd meet in the future would come true after all. And he'd give a lot to never hear Cas say "why not go get washed up for the orgy" again.

"All fairies aren't dicks," Charlie said. The expression on her face could only be described as smug. "Some fairies are pretty awesome. And hot."

Trust Charlie to concentrate on the important stuff. Dean spared a moment to be glad she'd accepted their offer to stay at the bunker while the crisis went down. He didn't know what he would have done if they'd lost another friend.

"Cas, do you think the angels will be hostile towards people when they find a vessel? What will they do? Will they try to get jobs and be productive members of society, or will they try to take out their anger at being thrown out of heaven on people?" Sam asked.

"Sam, I simply have no way of answering that question. It might be different for each individual. I know what I would do, but I can't predict what other angels would do—especially because I don't know what effect Naomi's manipulations have had on them," Cas said.

"Well, if you can't tell us what they're going to do, what's the point of this third rate lecture?" Kevin asked dryly.

_Kevin's gotten pretty dark_, Dean thought. He knew he had to stop Kevin's negativity, even though he sympathized with the sentiment.

"We just have to wait and see," Dean said. "And right now, this is the safest place for us."

* * *

Benny crouched in the thorny underbrush, hidden from view. The ghouls weren't paying attention anymore—maybe they'd forgotten the noise they'd heard. The wind was on his side, for once, blowing his scent away from the ghouls. He might be able to sneak away without encountering them at all.

It was not that Benny feared ghouls. Over the years he'd hacked off too many of their heads to be frightened of them, but he was flying solo for the first time in a lot of years.

After he'd come back to Purgatory without Dean, most vampires he met had some reason to hate him—mostly to do with him betraying them or killing their friends.

Or helping the Winchesters.

"I'm a disgrace to my kind," Benny muttered, echoing what he'd told Sam and Bobby. Even vampires who hadn't been personally offended by him hated him on principle—and Purgatory was the kind of place where most creatures stuck with their own kind, so he was going to be alone for a long time.

He thought back to the day he'd let Dean cut off his head, and couldn't bring himself to regret his decision. It wasn't exactly suicide when you were already twice dead, and changing the location of your afterlife was necessary to help out a friend, and Dean was that.

Even when things topside hadn't exactly met Benny's expectations—like when he'd learned the truth about Andrea—the fact that a person like Dean saw value in him had meant something. It had been a consolation, even when Dean hadn't wanted any contact with him, that a good man—a good _human_—thought he was worthwhile. It had kept Benny from feeding, but without anyone to hold him accountable, he probably wouldn't have held out for long.

Not in the long haul, and a vampire's life span was the very definition of a long haul. The days spent lonely and irritated with the lust for blood seemed to spread infinitely in front of him, and by human standards, he'd been around for a lot of years already.

So he was in Purgatory. And he fought, and fought. He didn't back down from fights, but sometimes, if it was possible, he walked away from them. Because he knew he was going to have to fight for a long, long time.

Forever.

Or at least until he got sloppy and found out where monster souls go when they die in Purgatory.

Benny slowly moved away from the bushes, but not slowly enough. A sudden feeling of dizziness dropped him to the ground, and he let out an involuntary cry as he fell. The last thing he was aware of was several ghouls crowded around him.

_Well, now I'll get to see something new_, Benny thought.

Oblivion wasn't as unwelcome as he'd thought it would be.

All was silence.

And then, it wasn't.

There was light, and the smell of humans. Food cooking, pine trees, clean laundry.

He was topside.

Benny looked around, trying to identify where he was—what was happening. He was lightheaded and his vision was still too blurry to identify anything about his surroundings except for the fact that he was inside a room—a dark room. He felt his hands, tied behind his back—the pain suddenly so much more real than it had been in Purgatory. He tried to move his legs and realized that he was tied to a chair.

So probably Dean hadn't brought him back, unless the way Dean treated his friends had changed a lot. Or unless he was really mad about Benny choosing not to return topside—but no, he'd know Dean's smell. Although he did smell humans, the strongest smell was other vampires, but it was no one he knew.

And that left him with no idea who would want him topside. Not a clue.

And nothing to do but wait.


	2. Chapter 2

Benny came to again, trying to remember when he'd lost consciousness. He couldn't remember, but the dizziness and the cloudy vision were clearing up. He could now tell he was in a large house, not unlike the one on the island where his maker had lived—but it was a different house.

He was in a large room, still tied to a chair. He could now see a long dining or conference table, and he could still smell both humans and vampires. One vampire was very close—just behind him, actually.

"He's awake, boss," the man said.

A bald, black vampire who had been turned when he was middle-aged walked around the table so he was facing Benny. He seemed so confident and sure in his power that Benny realized this was a different sort of animal than the other vampires he'd ever met. He remembered Dean describing the Alpha vamp.

"You must be my great great great…something," Benny murmured.

"I can see why you and Dean get along. You seem very similar," the Alpha said.

"I'm not going to be offended by a comparison to someone I admire," Benny said.

"I didn't bring you here to offend you," the Alpha said.

Benny was silent for a moment, then struggled slightly against his bonds. They were as tight as he remembered; maybe they were even tighter. "Why _did_ you bring me here? I mean, what's a guy gotta do to rest in peace? Let me tell ya, I was enjoying the hell outta my afterlife until you came along."

"I need your help. I called your soul back to your body. I want you to…be a sort of…emissary," he said.

"To Dean?" Benny asked.

The Alpha smiled. "You catch on quick. Yes, I want you to find Dean and bring him here so I can speak to him."

"I won't help you hurt him," Benny said.

"I don't want to hurt him. Honestly. I need his help. Since you died, the world's gone to…well, saying it's gone to hell sounds wrong, considering angels are the problem," the Alpha said.

"Angels?" Benny asked. He involuntarily thought of Cas, wondering what problems a lame-brain like him could cause.

"It's not just him you have to worry about anymore," the Alpha said.

Benny belatedly remembered that the Alpha could read vampires' minds. "What angels?"

"_All_ of the angels. They fell to the earth. Or they were pushed. They certainly don't seem pleased about being here. And some of them feel a certain…personal responsibility…to destroy evil. And vampires, even ones who aren't doing anyone any harm, are being targeted and destroyed. I love my children, Benny, even ones like you who have no respect for me at all. I don't want them destroyed."

"So what do you want from Dean?" Benny asked warily.

"I want what he has. I know he knows sigils to protect against angels. I remember seeing the knowledge in his head—but I don't have access to it anymore. I know he also knows how to fight angels. I saw it in his memory. I only want the ability to protect my children. And I thought who better to plead our case then the one vampire Dean can't seem to quit?" the Alpha asked.

"I think when he cut off my head that was a definitive kind of kiss off, don't you?" Benny asked.

"He did it to save his brother's life. And you agreed to make that sacrifice for him. You're proof a vampire can still be a good man—and a convincing argument that we don't _all_ deserve to be snuffed out by the angels. He has every reason to trust you," the Alpha said.

"I won't lie to him. I won't trick him into coming here," Benny warned.

"Of course not. You tell him exactly what I told you," the Alpha said. "Let him judge for himself whether or not I'm trustworthy."

"Okay," Benny said reluctantly, somewhat comforted by the fact that he didn't think the Alpha had the ability to compel his obedience. "I'll be your emissary. But I gotta warn you, I don't see why he'd help you. What are you offering in return?"

"Let him go, Frederick," the Alpha said. Frederick, the other vampire, untied him. The Alpha looked pensive. "You don't think helping vampire kind will be enough of an incentive?"

"What do you think?" Benny asked.

"Maybe it won't be, yet. But if he ever has a problem with angels, we'll be there to help him out."

"You ever seen an angel fight a vampire?" Benny asked. "All it takes is a touch of their hand to make us dust. With all due respect to your powers, your army wouldn't be any help at all."

"Then ask him if he thinks we deserve to be wiped out. Monsters have a place in this world. I think Dean understands about the natural balance. I respect his right as a hunter to kill vampires—vampires who get out of line. But these angels don't deserve my respect. When they attack us it's like using a nuclear bomb to hunt a deer. We need help. Even with help we'll probably all die. Help me do the one thing I can think of."

Benny nodded.

A half an hour later he was free. The Alpha had given him a beat up car, some cash, and a cell phone. Benny drove for a while—just until he felt free of the Alpha's influence—and pulled over and took out the cell.

He punched in Dean's number, hoping the Alpha was being straight with him.

* * *

Dean was just sitting down with the others to eat his brother's attempt at cuisine—chili and salad—when his phone rang.

"Who could be calling you? Everyone we know is here," Sam said.

"I don't know, maybe Aaron Bass?" Dean said. He stood up and got his phone out of his pants. "Winchester," he answered.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then a familiar, smooth voice said, "It's good to hear your voice, brother."

Dean's heart started beating faster. He tried to tell himself it wasn't fear—but how in hell was Benny alive? He walked out of the room abruptly, ignoring the curious looks of the others. Dean waited until he was in his room and the door was shut before he replied. "Benny? Is that you?"

"It's me. Back from the dead. Although I guess you couldn't exactly call me alive," Benny chuckled.

"How did that happen?" Dean asked. "I mean, it's awesome that you're alive or undead or whatever, but how did it happen?"

"I think it would be easier to talk about this in person. Any way you could meet me?" he asked.

Dean was forcibly reminded of the last time Benny had asked him to meet. He'd refused. He'd let Benny go, and then when Dean had needed _him_, he'd still come to help him. He'd _died_ for him. It was probably stupid to agree; it probably wasn't even Benny. It was probably a ghoul, or an angel using his voice or something. A trap.

But he couldn't say no.

He owed Benny. Big. If there was even the slightest chance that it was really Benny (and every instinct in his body was telling him it _was_ Benny) and he really wanted to meet, than he had to go, trap or not.

"Where are you?" Dean asked. "I'm in Kansas."

"I'll text you when I know where I'm stopping. I'll see you soon, brother," he said.

Dean ended the call. He had no idea what to tell the others. Sam understood about Benny now, at least, he'd said he did. But he wouldn't want Dean to go into a situation like this alone, and Dean certainly wasn't taking anyone with him. Cas was still too vulnerable to angel attacks. Sam was still too sick. Dean didn't want to risk Charlie or Kevin getting hurt. And Garth…well, he could use a break from Garth.

But how exactly could he explain the call? Or the need to leave the bunker, after all his insistence on _not_ leaving it?

And how could he lie to Sam, when he knew how annoyed it made him when Sam lied to him?

Dean sighed. "I guess I have to tell the truth," he muttered.

He went back into the dining room.

"Was it Aaron?" Sam asked.

Dean paused. "It was Benny. I think."

"Benny? But Benny's dead," Sam said.

"I know," said Dean. "He _was_ dead. Now he's not."

"Benny the vampire?" Garth asked.

"Yes. Dean's _friend_ the vampire," Cas said, his voice scornful.

"Dean has a vampire friend. That's so _cool_," Charlie said.

Sam held up his hand. "Listen, I want to talk to Dean about this. Can we just have a minute?"

"Sure, we'll just…go somewhere else," Charlie said. The others got up and left, glancing behind curiously.

"Dean, you have to know this is a trap," Sam said.

"Sam, you have to know that that possibility doesn't even matter to me. I _owe _him. If there's even the slightest chance that it's him, I have to go," Dean said.

"Not alone," Sam said.

"I didn't want to lie to you, Sammy, so I told you the truth. But that doesn't change what's happening. I'm going, alone," Dean said.

"Dean, you know I'm not going to let that happen. It's me or Garth, and I think we could both use a break from Garth," Sam said.

"I'm not asking your permission, Sam."

"Right now it's not just me who's depending on you. How are you going to explain to them that you're walking into a trap on purpose out of some ridiculous sense of honour?"

"I think it's really him," Dean said. "I know it's not much to go on, but my instincts say it's him. It sounded like it was really him. Even if seems impossible…I _know_ him. It's Benny. And if it's Benny, it's_ not_ a trap."

"If that's true, then there's no reason I shouldn't go. If it's not a trap, it doesn't matter than I'm not up to fighting strength," Sam argued.

Dean sighed. Sam had a point. Dean took a moment to think about how much he believed it was really Benny. Why shouldn't he take Sam? Even sick, Sam could take care of himself. "Okay. Go pack up, then."

Sam looked surprised. "You really think he just escaped Purgatory somehow, even though last time we saw him he didn't want out?"

"I do. I can't explain it, but I think he's back somehow, and he asked me to meet him. I'm not going to refuse again," Dean said.

"I can see that. I'm not going to argue—either with your intuition, or with your friendship with Benny. I sort of consider both sacrosanct, to be honest. Every time I've argued with either I've ended up feeling like a jerk in the end," Sam said. "But I'm still coming with you."

"Okay," Dean said. "You pack up, and I'll break the news to everyone else."


	3. Chapter 3

Sam lay back in his seat. He wondered if any amount of rest was ever going to make him stop feeling tired. He didn't want to tell Dean, but he was getting worried about how he'd been changed. He had taken Castiel aside and asked him if they were dangerous—the changes that the trials had caused in him—and Castiel had brushed it off as though it was nothing. A temporary problem.

Sam didn't know what that meant. He was worried, but the last thing he wanted was to make Dean worried. Because the one time Dean became unreliable was when he was worried for Sam's life, and he _needed_ Dean at the top of his game right now.

They all did.

The nature preserve where Benny had told them to meet him was a good hour off the highway, but it was only about four hours from the bunker. They drove without speaking, and Sam wondered what Dean was thinking.

Dean's relationship with Benny was still a mystery to Sam, although he'd asked Cas about it and seen Benny's wry humour and dependability in a fight for himself. Cas had said that Benny was untrustworthy, but when Sam asked for an instance where he had not been there for him or Dean, he couldn't or wouldn't say anything. It seemed to Sam that Cas mostly found him unworthy because he was "tainted", and Sam knew from experience that it was possible to be "tainted" by evil and still have good intentions.

Sam knew his brother didn't do so well on his own; saying Dean was codependent was kind of an understatement. But there seemed to be more to his and Benny's friendship than just a need for someone to watch his back. Dean felt genuine affection for Benny…and that was strange to Sam. It was part of the reason Sam had thought there was something off about the friendship—that Benny was using or manipulating Dean somehow.

Not that Dean wasn't capable of genuine affection…but he didn't trust easily, or well, and Benny was a _monster_. Sam could understand their friendship, to a certain extent—but he couldn't understand how they got there.

If there was one word that was sacred to Dean, it was "brother"—just like it was to Sam—and he let Benny call him that like he'd earned the right.

And seeing how Benny had been forced to give up his family in Louisiana because of Sam, and yet Benny had saved Sam anyway, for Dean, maybe he had earned it several times over.

If it was really him.

Dean pulled the car up to the parking lot and parked beside a beat-up car that Benny was leaning against. "Wait in the car," Dean said.

Sam nodded.

Dean got out and shut the door.

"You're looking good, brother," Benny said.

"I can't lie. You're looking a lot better than you were the last time I saw you," Dean said.

"My head looks better on my shoulders, or so I've been told," Benny said. It was difficult for Sam to believe that a vampire's smile could be so warm.

Benny put a hand on Dean's shoulder, and then they pulled each other in for a hug. Sam couldn't help but remember the last time he'd been reunited with Dean. There'd been borax and silver and holy water. He got out of the car. "Aren't you going to test him?" Sam asked.

Dean stepped out of the hug. "I suppose I should."

"Test? I didn't study," Benny said. He smirked for a moment and then his expression turned serious. "How you doing, Sam?"

"I'll be better when I know it's really you," Sam said shortly.

Dean went through the tests, and it appeared to really be Benny. Sam started to feel like a third wheel, but he owed it to Benny to make an effort. He awkwardly moved forward. "Um, thanks, man, for what you did," he said, extending a hand. Benny shook it easily, and Sam briefly envied how comfortable Benny seemed to be in his skin. The guy oozed confidence. "I owe you."

"How'd you get out?" Dean asked.

Benny spread his hands. "Wasn't my choice—not that I'm complaining. I met an old friend of yours. Actually, the reason I'm here is all because of you. I'm supposed to persuade you to come help."

"An old friend?" Dean asked flatly.

"The Alpha vampire," Benny said.

"Seriously? What does _he_ want?" Sam asked.

"The word he used was emissary. He wants me to convince Dean to get him help against the angels. I guess some of them have been using their superpowers to fight vampires."

"And I'm supposed to hand over an angel-killing sword?" Dean asked.

"He said you knew sigils and things. He actually didn't tell me a lot—didn't give me a lot of reasons to use to convince you. I honestly think he just wanted me to find you and get you to go to his house," Benny said.

"Do you think the Alpha can control him?" Sam asked.

Dean looked at Sam. Sam imagined he was thinking about how Cas had been controlled by Naomi—that's what had prompted Sam to ask the question.

"The Alpha couldn't control me when I was a vampire. I don't think being a full vampire would make Benny any more vulnerable to being controlled," Dean said.

"You should watch what you say around me. I think he can read my mind. Maybe he always could. If you tell me something, I think you can safely say he knows it, too," Benny said.

Dean nodded. "So he just wants us to go to his house?"

"He swears it's not a trap," Benny said.

"Do you believe him?" Sam asked.

"He didn't seem to be lying—but I wouldn't know if he was, you know?" Benny said.

"What exactly did he say to you?" Dean asked.

"He said he wanted your help to protect his children—he went on at some length about how not all of them are predators—and he told me it wasn't a trap. He said it was okay if I told you everything he said. I didn't have to lie or help him hurt you or anything. My only job is to get Dean Winchester a message," Benny said.

"What's the advantage of doing this?" Dean asked. "I mean, why would we? Out of gratitude that Benny's here? I mean, no offense Benny, but you're already topside,"

"He's fighting for the survival of his species. He offered you every vampire on the planet to fight with you when you call, and asked me to remind you that monsters are a part of nature. I think he wanted me to serve as a testament to the fact that not all vampires are evil—although, in all fairness, I've been evil in the past," Benny said.

Benny's confession lit a spark of an idea in Sam's head. It wasn't fully formed—he didn't want to jinx it. But it ran through his head with bizarre speed, and he wanted to go back to the bunker and do some research to see if he was making any sense.

"Do you think we should do it?" Dean was asking Benny.

"I don't know, Dean. I'm not exactly a fan of other vampires these days. Whatever you think, brother," he said.

"Sam?" Dean asked.

"Like I said, Dean, I trust your instincts in these situations," Sam said.

"But you've usually got some kind of touchy-feeling moral argument," Dean said.

"You're the expert on vampires, Dean. I trust you to do the right thing. In fact, I'm going to head back to the bunker, if it's alright with you that I take your car, Benny," Sam said.

"You that convinced I'm going to go?" Dean asked.

"Aren't you?"

Dean nodded. "I'm going to at least hear him out. A vampire army sounds freaken awesome."

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Here's the keys, chief," Benny said. He tossed them to Sam. "But I don't know where this car's been. It might have been stolen from a vampire victim for all I know. It was a gift from the Alpha."

"I thought you didn't want me out here on my own," Dean said.

"You're not on your own. Benny's got your back," Sam said.

* * *

Dean looked over at Benny. "You haven't said anything in a while, buddy. You okay?"

Benny looked over at Dean, his expression confused. "I never thought I cared what your brother thought of me."

"And?"

"I was wrong. When he trusted me to watch your back…just let me walk away with the most precious thing he's got with angels falling from the sky…Well, I guess I see why you think so much of him," Benny said.

"He's pretty great. I raised him," Dean said proudly.

"Yeah, I got that, Mama Bear," Benny said, fond laughter spilling into his voice.

Dean remembered what Ellen's ghost had supposedly said about him—that sometimes being able to take care of others was your greatest strength and he shouldn't be ashamed of it or something. He'd spent a lot of years acting gruff and tough so no one knew how much he liked taking care of his little brother, but he knew Benny wouldn't make fun of him.

"I like taking care of people. I'm good at it," he said, his tone somewhat confessional.

Benny looked at him and Dean realized his comment was kind of out of the blue, but Benny only looked at him and smiled in that easy way of his, and said, "It's a good way to be, Dean. Good for Sam, good for me and all your other friends."

"I wasn't there for you when you needed me, Benny—"

"Me staying on the wagon, blood-wise, was never your responsibility. I know you had other obligations. Important work," Benny said.

"What I mean, though, Benny, is that it wasn't an 'I'm no good with people and I didn't know what I was doing' thing. I knew you needed me, and I could have probably helped, but I let Sam convince me to stay away from you. And you helped me save him anyway. Even after his intervention cost you your connection to your family."

Benny chuckled. "When you put it like that, I sound like a saint. What went down with that hunter—it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't already attracted vampire attention. It was unrealistic of me to assume I could live a normal life. And when he told you to stay away from me, Sam was only thinking of me the same way any other hunter would think of me—the same way you did, at first. I can't blame him for that. He's only thinking of his survival, which just shows he's got some sense."

"Benny, when I heard your voice, the first thing I thought when I realized it was you is that most people in your situation would want vengeance," Dean said.

"I don't_ ever_ want to hurt you, brother," Benny said.

Dean stared at the highway. Lots of people had sworn never to hurt him, or told him he'd be safe with them. It was strange that a vampire was the only one who'd ever kept his word. Not that Sam or their father had ever meant to hurt him, but they had, again and again. Even Cas and Bobby had hurt him. Benny didn't make any promises, but somehow Dean knew Benny would rather die than hurt him.

"I'm glad you're back, Benny," he said thickly.

"I didn't ask to come back, but something tells me it'll all be different this time. I'm glad to be back, Dean," he said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I welcome reviews or criticisms, although I am kind of writing this story to celebrate season 9, not to hone my craft as a writer or anything. And it's also pure wish fulfilment. Well, it'd probably be slash if it was_ pure_ wish fulfilment. Maybe I should just keep writing Benny stories until they bring him back, although that's hardly an effective sounding protest...I think it would be cool if all Sam and Dean's pals hung out in the bunker with them. At least once. **

Dean looked over at Benny. For some reason it was more jarring for Dean to see him sitting in the passenger seat of the Impala than for him to see Benny topside. He supposed it was because that was where Sam usually sat.

He wasn't sure what to think about Sam's acceptance of his friendship with Benny, or his abrupt exit back to the bunker.

And he was even less sure about driving to the Alpha vampire's lair.

"You alright, brother?" Benny asked.

"Just trying to remember why I agreed to this," Dean said.

"We're still a couple hours out. Not too late to change your mind," Benny said.

Dean took a moment to savour the familiar cadence of Benny's speech—that Southern drawl that seemed to imply that there was no reason to worry, ever. He looked over at Benny, saw his friend's shit-eating grin. "Hey, why not listen to what the guy has to say?" he said finally.

"Well, because he might kill you, I guess," Benny said.

"I ain't worried about that," Dean said. He brushed the issue aside. For some reason he'd never really thought the Alpha was a threat—to them, anyway. Obviously he was a threat to a lot of people. Possibly the human race in general. But he didn't seem to wish Dean and Sam any _specific_ harm. Usually.

"Anything worry you?"

"The thousands of angels who fell to the earth don't exactly fill me with confidence," Dean said.

"How exactly did that happen?" Benny asked.

"You assume that I know?"

"Am I wrong?"

"You ain't wrong," Dean said. "This angel, Metatron, the scribe of God, apparently was all kinds of bitter against the angels so did this ritual thing to kick every angel in heaven out—so they're here, with no wings and limited powers—but I mean, limited powers for an angels is like superpowers, right?"

"What about Cas?"

"Metatron manipulated him and stole his grace for the ritual. Turns out the whole thing turned him human," Dean said.

"That boy is just all kinds of cracked," Benny said.

"You should give Cas a chance. You two might actually get along now that he can't kill you with a flash of light," Dean said.

"I can kill him now, though," Benny said.

"But you wouldn't."

"Of course I wouldn't. But it's a comfort to know that I could, should the need arise."

Dean laughed under his breath. "What is it with you two?"

"Natural enemies, I guess," Benny said.

"Think we can make it to this place tonight?" Dean asked.

"Well, they_ are_ vampires. I don't think there's an hour of the night too late to visit. On the other hand, when did you sleep last? No point getting there when you're too tired to handle him," Benny said.

"Handle him?"

"You know what I mean," Benny said.

"You wanna get a motel room? Go see Alpha in the morning when he's tired, instead of us?"

"Whatever you need, brother," Benny said.

Later that night, when they'd both been settled into their beds and the light had been off for a long time, Benny's voice wafted over through the darkness.

"Would you go back and change it all, if you could? I mean, of course you'd want your mother to be alive, but assuming you couldn't change what happened, but only what your father decided to do about it, would you wish for a normal life?" Benny asked.

Dean thought about it seriously. For so long he'd just answered the way his father and Sam assumed he would—that he wanted a family and a normal life—that he hadn't really thought about how he actually felt about it in a long time. "Normal is so far out of my wheelhouse I don't even know how to answer the question. I think of the people whose lives I've saved, and the things that had to happen because angels or demons held the strings, and I can't even contemplate normal. I think I would fight evil no matter what my life looked like. There's always a way to stand up for the people who need to be stood up for. There's always something you can choose to fight against. What Sam and I do, it has the advantage of being pretty black and white most of the time. There are rules, and you follow them, and things that don't follow those rules get ganked," Dean said.

"I'd have said you see the world in shades of gray."

"Life_ is_ shades of gray. I can't always go into a situation and know what's right without looking at all the angles. Sometimes the monster's the one who needs saving. But when the line you draw is, is this thing hurting people or not, not is this a supernatural creature, it makes the moral questions a lot easier to answer. What about you? Would you go back and change things? Make it so you died in your bed years ago and never knew the supernatural existed?" Dean asked.

"Before I met Andrea, before I met you...I would have said I'd rather have the normal life. But now...I'm so glad to have experienced real love–and real friendship. And to know that hunters exist. I wonder if I could become a hunter, and protect people. It's probably pretty far-fetched, me saving people with the fangs and all," Benny said.

"There's other ways you could help. You're a lot more educated than I am–maybe you could do research or something. I think the fangs coming out at the smell of blood might worry the people you were saving, but then it's a shame to waste supernatural fighting skills. If you had the right partner, someone who could pull you back if you needed it, it would probably be fine," Dean said.

"The only person I'd ever want to hunt with already has a partner," Benny said.  
Dean swallowed against a feeling of warmth for his friend. He knew that he and Benny made great partners–but no one was going to replace Sam. Not for one hunt and certainly not all of them. There was a time last year when Sam had been saying pretty strongly that he wanted to stop hunting and live a normal life. If that really happened when this angel business was sorted out, then maybe Dean could see himself with a new partner. It was hard to visualize–hell, that afternoon it had been difficult for Dean to even have Benny sitting in Sam's seat in the Impala–but maybe he ought to try to get used to the idea.

For Sam's sake.

* * *

"So what exactly are we looking for, Sam?" Charlie asked. "I mean, I know you said we were researching vampires, but why? We trying to find some dirt on the alpha?"

"I agree. Your instructions were pretty vague," Kevin said. Sam noticed the way Kevin was looking at Charlie and figured he was going to have to have the 'lesbians don't usually switch teams' talk with him.

"I was talking to Benny and Dean, and Benny said that he used to be a lot more evil than he is now. He was talking about how he changed, and I thought, if a vampire can _decide_ to be good, maybe they can also be cured," Sam said.

"There's no cure. The only one that exists is conditional on never having sampled human blood," Garth said.

"Yeah, and before we knew about that cure, the conventional wisdom was that there was no cure at all. Look, I just...no one ever thought there was a way to cure demons, right? I mean, their souls are bent and twisted by unspeakable torment for the equivalent of thousands of years to become a demon, but there's a ritual that can cleanse them of all that. Cure them. If it can happen with demons, it can probably happen with vampires," Sam said.

"What makes you think Benny even wants to be human?" Cas asked.

"Do you think he'd turn it down?" Sam asked.

Cas reluctantly shook his head. Benny would jump at the chance to be human, and anyone with even a passing acquaintance with him could see it.

"But even if you could change him, redeem him somehow, he'd still be dead. His body is dead and only animated by supernatural forces. Is that the outcome you want?" Garth asked.

"Maybe being dead but saved would be a better outcome than living as a monster for all eternity," Sam said.

"So he goes to heaven, a look of peace on his face like in Dracula?" Charlie asked doubtfully.

"Sam, I think you're overestimating Dean's commitment to saving people from damnation. He once told me that sinning was one of the perks of having fallen from grace. He'd like Benny to be human, but he won't let you kill him to save his soul," Cas said.

"Maybe we don't need to make that choice. Look, if it's possible to redeem or cure a demon like Crowley, who's lived for god knows how many years and done evil for all that time, then it's gotta be possible to cure a vampire who wants to be cured," Sam said.

"But a demon is still inside the dichotomy of good and evil. The language of redemption belongs with considerations of good and evil and god and the devil. Monsters are outside of that–they belong to Eve and Eve alone when they are changed into monsters. She doesn't give up her children that easily," Cas said.

"Maybe the alpha knows a way. He's supposed to be the oldest–the first—and the expert on vampires. If there's a way, wouldn't he know it?" Charlie asked.

"Why would he tell? He wants to keep every vampire he possibly can. They were practically extinct a few years ago, so he's not likely to want to give up a survivor like Benny," Sam said.

"He'd do it because it's a negotiation. Dean has something he wants and he has something Dean probably wants," Kevin said, sounding vaguely like his mother for a moment.

"I still think there's a way in this bunker. There was a way to redeem demons. Vampires have got to be easier to cure than demons," Sam said.

"Maybe you should tell Dean what you're thinking anyway. Maybe he should bring it up with the head cheese vampire. Just to see what he says," Charlie said. "I mean, maybe it's like a cult and if the vampires do something bad they can be cast out in some and devamperized."

"I think if you are a vampire and you piss off other vampires, they cut off your head," Garth said.

"I'll tell Dean what I'm thinking before he talks to the Alpha," Sam said.

They continued researching, but they didn't find anything that night.


	5. Chapter 5

When Benny woke up that morning, he could hear Dean talking softly into his cell phone, sitting up on the bed on the other side of the room. Benny had super hearing, but only heard enough to realize Dean was talking to his brother before he got up and went into bathroom, putting on the fan to give Dean the privacy to talk to his brother.

He got in the shower briefly—soaping up quickly. Vampires didn't really sweat, but showers were still mandatory. When he left the washroom in clean clothes, he saw that Dean was off the phone.

"Sam alright?" he asked.

Dean looked at Benny speculatively, as if he didn't know what to say. "Sam had a strange idea," he said finally.

"That right?"

"He wondered…if there was any way for you to become human again. He thought the Alpha might know…that we might be able to negotiate for your humanity. Or maybe…in the Men of Letters Bunker…he thought there might be a cure. He hasn't found anything yet, but he's looking," Dean said.

Benny had heard about the cure for vamps who hadn't touched human blood; Dean had told him about it in Purgatory. He reasoned that if that cure existed, maybe there was another. But at the same time, he wasn't going to get his hopes up. "What made him interested in reforming me?" he asked.

"I guess—it's because of the trials. One of the trials to close the gates of hell was to cure a demon. So he figured, demons are a hell of a lot worse than vampires, and there's a cure for demons. Maybe there is a cure for vampirism but we just don't know it," Dean said.

"If there was a cure, would you want me to take it? I wouldn't be as useful, watching your back," Benny said.

"Do you really think I would care about that?" Dean asked. "Besides, I'm human, and I still manage to kick ass."

"I guess you're right," Benny said thoughtfully. He thought about being human again. He could barely remember what it had been like; what _he'd_ been like. He'd grow old, and weak, and he'd die.

And knowing all the terrible things he'd done in his existence, he'd probably go to hell.

Or maybe Cas could teach him about salvation. He chuckled lightly at the thought.

"I gotta say, that was not the reaction I imagined you'd have," Dean said cautiously.

"Well, we can ask about it, but I ain't exactly going to hold my breath, not that I breathe much these days," Benny said. "But I do appreciate Sam thinking about me."

"Would you take a cure if it existed?" Dean asked.

Benny was sure his face looked stark. "Of course," Benny said hoarsely. "I'd do anything for that cure. To be able to belong to the human race again, instead of always being on the outside looking in? To feel like I deserved to be your friend? To never have to worry again about losing control and attacking someone, or buying black market human blood? I can't imagine anything I want more."

Dean ran his fingers through his dirty hair. "Yeah, I hear ya. We'll do our best for you. We'll try. I know what it's like, buddy, and I'd save you from that if I could."

"Have a shower, Dean. I'll go get you a coffee from the place on the corner," Benny said.

Dean nodded and went into the washroom.

Benny sat for a moment, feeling a cautious hope. If anyone could pull it off, it would be the Winchester brothers.

From what Benny understood, they specialized in doing the impossible.

* * *

Dean pulled up to the gate of the Alpha's house. It felt wrong somehow to drive up as an invited guest, but since he believed in the truce or parlay or whatever that the Alpha had proposed, he supposed there was no point in parking the car so he could make a quick get-away. He would go in, share only sigils to hide vampires from angels, and go. He wasn't going to give vampires _weapons_ against angels, but he believed they deserved the ability to at least _hide_.

Cas would probably disagree with what he was doing, but Cas wasn't here.

And these days Cas and Dean disagreed more often than they agreed with each other about what was right.

Sam had seemed to think it was a fair thing to do; he probably trusted Dean to make the distinction that he only give defensive tools, not weapons.

But then, just as Dean was going through the gates, he had a frightening thought. "Dude, what's stopping the Alpha from turning me and then reading my mind and knowing everything I refuse to tell him? Why does he need to negotiate at all?"

"You've almost killed him before, as a human. If you were a vampire, he'd have to watch out. Besides, I think the guy has a strange sort of honour. I could be wrong about that, though," Benny said.

"Shit," Dean said under his breath, "Well, it's too late to back out now. Here goes nothing."

They got out of the car and walked up to the door. It opened as they got there, held open by an attractive young male vampire. The first thing Dean noticed was that there were crowds of vampires around. There was probably twenty in the entry way alone.

"I hope they're not all here to make sure I don't make it out of here alive," Dean said.

"You'll make it out," Benny said.

Dean nodded. He wanted to touch the syringe of dead-man's blood in his sleeve, but he held himself back. He wasn't sure why he bothered—He'd had a vial of it on him every other time he'd been in the Alpha's lair, so the creature was sure to expect him to have it.

He walked into the familiar conference-style dining room.

There were no less than three vamps in the room. They all appeared vigilant, but non-threatening. The Alpha wasn't in the room.

"Have a seat," a beautiful female vamp said.

"I'd rather stand, thanks," Dean said. It was bad enough that he'd agreed to go into the lair of the father of a race of monsters. He was hardly going to sit defenseless with his back to a door in said lair.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the Alpha said, walking into the room.

"I hope you meant your guarantees that you mean me no harm," Dean said.

"I just want your help. All the vampires you see here, they're hiding out. Their existence is threatened. This is the only safe place they can stay, because I can psychically shield them from the angels," the Alpha said.

"Oh, so you've already found a solution and you don't need me," Dean smirked. "Or would you rather not have every vampire on earth hiding out under your roof?"

The Alpha didn't respond, but he gestured to the other vamps in the room. "You can go. Mr. Winchester and I have things to discuss."

Dean had a fleeting thought that it was weird to be called Mr. Winchester. Whenever he was called by a respectful title like Mister, it was usually accompanied by a fake name. He was also relieved that the other vamps were now gone, but he reminded himself not to feel safe. Feeling safe in this place could get him killed, or worse, turned into a vampire again.

Dean caught a glance of Benny out of the corner of his eye, feeling a stab of reassurance about his presence. It wasn't the solid, almost psychic connection he had with his brother: since he and Sam knew each other so well they didn't even have to be looking at each other to know just what the other was planning. But with Benny he knew no one could sneak up behind him.

He knew he wasn't alone.

"I'm reassured by your presence. You're willing to talk about this, at least," the Alpha said.

"You're approaching this in a pretty civilized way. That being said, I honestly can't justify telling you how to kill angels. I might think they're dicks with wings, but I don't want to start a war between monsters and angels. But I _will_ tell you how to hide from them. I'll also tell you how to banish them. But I have a couple of questions first," he said.

"Ask away," the Alpha said.

"What's the deal with this vampire army?" Dean asked.

"Benny tells me a vampire army wouldn't be much use against angels—but in the future, if you need vampire allies against some other foe—you have my word that I will send them to fight for you," the Alpha said.

Dean nodded. He was still kind of wondering why the Alpha wasn't just holding him down and forcing him to drink vamp blood to steal his knowledge, and then he realized something. The Alpha could hide himself from angels. He'd just said as much. So he really was just looking out for his "children". He wasn't in any danger from angels himself. Suddenly his insistence on honour didn't seem so far-fetched, anymore. Since he could go to some Pacific Island and enjoy the next thousand years and then make a bunch of vampires whenever he wanted, he wasn't _desperate_ for the protection Dean could offer.

But he had to show his children that he cared.

"Next question," Dean said. "To your knowledge, is there any cure for vampirism beyond the one that cured me? Is there one that could make Benny human again?"

The Alpha smiled wryly. "Not a terrible time try to jump ship, Mr. Lafitte, given the current international climate. I commend you for your intelligence."

"Even if angels weren't falling all over themselves to do us harm, I think you know my interest in rejoining the human race would remain. I don't have a lot in common with other bloodsuckers. And I'm not exactly popular with our kind," Benny said.

"But it's not really that that makes you want to change, is it? You have an infatuation with humans. First Andrea, and then Dean. You admire their fragility—and their goodness. I understand it. I can even sympathize. And it _is_ possible. But if you take away the vampire virus, you die," the Alpha said.

"So it's more like a good way to bypass Purgatory and go straight to hell," Benny said.

The Alpha nodded.

Dean shook his head. "That can't be right. I mean, it can't be the whole story. What is the cure? How do you know about it? Who figured it out?"

The Alpha went over to the wall and pushed a painting out of the way, revealing a safe. He opened it, and took out a book. "Here you are. I concealed it because I didn't want a lot of vampires turning back into humans—but I suppose you'll still decapitate more vampires than you'll cure. You're not so friendly that you spend a lot of time _talking_ to vampires, are you?"

"And this has everything you know about curing vampires in it?" Dean asked.

"Yes. You can have it as a gesture of good-will," the Alpha said.

"Alright. So I guess you need to know some sigils. And how to use them. Got any paper? Some of these are better on buildings, and some are better on people. I recommend tattoos," Dean said.

"Have a seat, Mr. Winchester," the Alpha said.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I didn't mean this to be about Benny getting turned human. My only defense is that it was totally Sam's idea. Two days until the premiere! Woot woot!**

"There's absolutely nothing else about vampires in this library," Charlie said.

"There's nothing _directly_ about vampires," Sam said. "But what about mentions in other texts? What if there's something in a medieval apothecary's memoirs?"

"They do have a filing system here. Presumably every book was gathered one at a time, and read through for references like that. If it existed in this library, we would have found it by now," Kevin said.

Sam huffed in frustration. "I wish I hadn't said anything to Dean about this. I thought there'd be something. We didn't even find the cure we already knew about in here."

"Well, we tried, anyway," Charlie said.

"I suspect that's not going to be much of a comfort to Benny," Cas said.

"Wait, now you're looking out for him?" Sam asked. "I thought you hated the guy."

"As a seraph it was difficult not to see the evil of his past actions in him. They clung to his soul like ghosts. Possibly it will be different now that I am a human. It would almost certainly be different if he was a human," Cas said. "However, it appears that we'll never know, now."

"Jesus, is everything my fault now?" Sam asked.

Sam's phone rang and he sighed and reached to get it. It was probably Dean, hoping for good news.

"Winchester," Sam answered.

"Sam, we're on the way home," Dean said.

Sam smiled a little at Dean saying he was on the way 'home'. Having a home base was weird, weird and wonderful. "How was it? Did it go well? Was he—the Alpha—did he honour the deal the way he told it to Benny?"

"Yep. He was a mensch," Dean said.

Sam wondered for the thousandth time where Dean had learned all these Yiddish words. He never could get a straight answer out of him about it. "So there was no conflict at all?"

"No, in fact, he gave us something he told us was a cure for vampirism. It's a cure that apparently kills the vampire, but I thought you might be able to use it in conjunction with something else, or change it or something to make it better. I don't know. There's a whole book. Benny's been reading it, but all he keeps telling me about is the poetic cadence of medieval English."

"Does he know much about magic?"

"I don't think so. When we come back you and Kevin will have to take a look at it. Maybe we should even take it to a witch—although I can't think of a witch that we're on good terms with, other than Don Stark…who we probably shouldn't call, ever…Sam, I'm bringing Benny back to the bunker. I hope that's okay," Dean said.

"Sure Dean. Of course," Sam said. "What is this book? Maybe we can find some reference to it and get started."

"I think it's a Grimoire. The Alpha liberated it from the last person who successfully used it to turn a vampire human, right before the vampire died, of course. If there ever was another copy I doubt anyone's seen it for several hundred years," Dean said.

"Where are you, anyway?"

"We're just passed Des Moines," Dean said. "We'll be home by ten tonight."

"Okay. We'll see you soon," Sam said. He hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Garth asked.

"Looks like there might be some hope after all. Charlie, you were right about the Alpha knowing something," Sam said.

"Yay me!" Charlie said.

* * *

Benny examined the book, running his fingers over the illuminated text with a reverence he could barely understand. Was it really possible that a long dead witch would have the answer to his—well, he didn't actually pray—but sometimes it was hard not to wish for things you knew were impossible.

"Who's this guy Don Stark that you should never call?" he asked Dean.

"A witch. An evil witch, like so powerful and evil Sam and I sort of had to wash our hands of him without ganking him a few years ago. But he helped us, too. One of those gray areas again, I guess," Dean said.

"So you and Sam would gank a witch," Benny said.

"Of course. If the witch was hurting people, we would definitely gank them," Dean said.

"But this spell is witchcraft, isn't it?" Benny asked.

Dean looked at Benny. "There's all sorts of ways to use magic without hurting anyone. Sam and I actually use magic all the time. Bobby was sort of an expert at it. Why, does the spell need human sacrifice or something? Cause, sorry to say, if it does, you're out of luck."

"I'm not actually sure what it's all about. I think the ingredients are metaphors or something. There's no direct normal ingredients like cloves or rosemary."

"Sam and I will take a look at it. Actually, Cas will probably know what everything is. He's got the knowledge of millions of years of history…he still knows all that stuff," Dean said.

"How's he doing with the whole being human thing?"

"I don't know. Part of the time he seems just fine—other times it seems like he's drowning. Drowning in guilt, newness, fragility…He feels responsible for trusting Metatron. In a way…he is. He should have asked me or Sam about it before he started the angel trials. One of the things he had to do was kill a nephilim. A half-angel, half-human? She was innocent, at least as far as Cas knew. If I'd been there, I would have told him that it sounded sketchy."

"Do you think he would have listened?"

"If the past is any indication…no…probably not," Dean said. "In a way he's arrogant. He thinks he knows what's right for everyone. I know he'd say that I'm the one who thinks I know what's right. He always says that I try to push him around and tell him what to do. But sometimes it seems like I'm the only one who knows what's right and what's wrong. Sometimes it feels like Sam and Cas have no idea where to draw the line."

"You two sound like you're having problems," Benny said.

"Angels aren't made to take orders from humans. And I wasn't made to take orders from anyone, at least, not since my father died. I think as much as Cas is my friend and kind of like family, and even though I know I'll forgive him eventually for everything he's done to screw things up over the years—I don't think we can work together, long term," Dean said.

"I guess just because you can't work together doesn't mean you aren't family," Benny said.

"Yeah," Dean said. "It's crazy at the bunker right now. We've got Cas, who you know, and Sam, who you're getting to know. We've also got this hunter, Garth—"

"—another hunter?" Benny asked.

"Don't worry. He's pretty chill. This one time, there was this ghost who used all the bitterness people were carrying around as fuel for his evil revenge. Garth picked up the coin with the curse and _nothing happened_. He's like, Zen or something."

"Did you pick up this coin?" Benny asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Dean grunted.

Benny assumed that there was a story that went along with that, but he'd done enough in his long existence that he was ashamed of that he knew not to pry into things people didn't want to talk about. "So Garth probably won't try to cut my head off?"

"No, he won't try to kill you," Dean said.

"So who else is in the bunker?"

"Kevin. He's a prophet of the Lord. And a really smart teenager. I gotta watch that kid. He's had a really rough year, and I think it's really getting to him. His mom was murdered, and his girlfriend got killed right in front of him. I've been really hard on him," Dean said.

"So be extra nice to the kid, got it," Benny said. "Anyone else?"

"Charlie. She's a really awesome girl. Sort of geek-girl. Which, if you want to hear a secret, makes her a lot like me. I like a lot of that geek stuff, too," Dean said.

"You realize I was dead for most of the time that word grew to prominence. I sort of understand what it means, but I can't connect to it emotionally like you can. But I sense this is something you're kind of ashamed of?"

"Not really. I used to be, when I was a teenager. Geeks used to get made fun of…they were supposed to be smart and interested in Star Trek and science and stuff," Dean said.

"I know about Star Trek," Benny said. "So, she's not exactly mainstream, is that right?"

"Exactly. And she's a lesbian—just so you know," Dean said.

"So I shouldn't hit on her?"

"Well, you can if you want. But it won't get you anywhere," Dean said.

"Good to know," Benny said.

"Anyway, we'll be there soon. There's also this guy we know with a golem. Aaron. We left him a message that if he wants to he can come to the bunker, but so far he hasn't contacted us."

"A golem? You know, you live a crazy life, Dean. And I say that as a vampire who's come back from the dead twice," Benny said.

"Stick with me, and a golem will start to seem normal," Dean laughed.

Benny, who was just starting to realize that 'sticking with Dean' was actually an option that was suddenly open to him, possibly whether he became a human or not, was truly glad to be topside for the first time.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: So I am planning on doing Nanowrimo this November, and am trying to clean up some of my fics before then…but I probably won't get too far. However, I wrote like fifteen hundred words in an evening, which is good. But it took me a long time, which is bad…**

Sam had said that of course Benny could come to the Men of Letters bunker as if he had no problem with it whatsoever.

He found telling Dean that over the phone was a bit different than seeing a vampire walk through the door.

A part of him wanted to cut off his head—because how crazy was it, trusting a vampire with the location of the bunker? Yeah, right now he didn't hate Sam and Dean and didn't feed off of humanity, but that could change.

He was a monster.

"So does this mean the Alpha knows where we are?" Sam asked. He hated the bitchiness in his voice but he couldn't seem to help himself around Benny, even though he kind of liked the guy.

Dean gave Sam a look. "Yeah, we never thought of that," he said sarcastically.

"So what did you do?"

"I was going to blindfold him, but Benny decided to take it a step further," Dean said.

"I spent the last few hours in the trunk of your car. It's not so bad," Benny said. "Kinda roomy, for the trunk of a car."

Sam found himself annoyed at Benny's relentless good humour. "Fine, well, make sure no one tells him where we are."

Dean gave him another look. "I thought we were going to make him a real boy?"

"We're going to try. But he said he didn't know what kind of range the Alpha had. And I know we gave the Alpha sigils to protect his race and all but—"

"Oh would you relax? We've done all we can," Dean said. "Besides, the Alpha's had plenty of opportunity to kill us, and hasn't done it yet."

Sam huffed, trying not to start an argument. "Well, I guess we have to turn him human before he accidently reveals anything about us."

"You remember the part about turning Benny human killing him, right?" Dean asked.

"Anyone ever told the two of you that you bicker?" Benny asked.

"No, we've been doing this since we were kids and you're the first person who ever mentioned it," Dean said dryly.

Benny chuckled. "Are the groceries I asked you to pick up still in the car?" he asked.

Dean nodded and Benny walked out without further comment. "You want a tour of the bunker?" Dean called after him.

"I can always find a kitchen," his voice drifted back.

"Are you sure he wants to turn human?" Sam asked.

"Of _course_ he does. He's making us gumbo or jambalaya or something to thank us. He read that Grimoire a dozen times, but he doesn't really know a lot about magic," Dean said. "He's leaving it to the experts. That means us."

"How'd he know that spell to put his soul into your blood and take you out of Purgatory?"

"I don't know," Dean said. He sounded exasperated. Sam suddenly remembered he'd been driving for a long time and probably needed a minute to decompress.

He went over to the minifridge Dean had installed in the library and got his brother a beer. Dean took it gratefully. He took a swig and then reached into his duffel. "Check it out," he said.

Sam looked at the old Grimoire, opening to a page at random. It was illuminated, but it didn't look professionally drawn like the Book of Kells or anything. The swirls and flourishes were well done, but not filled with imaginative drawings and trolls and goblins, like lots of medieval texts. It looked more like a family spell-book than something that had been produced and reproduced. Ironically, if the Alpha hadn't held onto it to keep it out of vampire's hands, it probably would have been dust long ago.

"Is this the spell?" Sam asked. He turned to one marked with an ornate bookmark.

"Yep," Dean said. He sat down at the chair opposite where Sam was standing, looking at the book.

Sam sat down, too. He read the spell. Most of it seemed fairly straightforward to him—if couched in metaphor—but there were some things he would have to guess at or talk to Cas about. "You know, I haven't used magic _on_ someone that much. It's kind of nerve-wracking."

"Tell me about it," Dean said.

* * *

Benny had added all the ingredients for the first stage of his gumbo recipe and was peeling apples for a pie. He wasn't the world's best pie maker, but he knew Elizabeth's recipe by heart and was going to give it a shot.

He hadn't heard Dean wax lyrical about pie all the time in Purgatory without figuring out that it was his friend's preferred dessert.

"Oh god, you're new. You must be Benny," a girl said.

"You must be Charlie," Benny said. "I'd shake your hand, but I'm kinda messy."

"Whatcha making?" she asked. He looked over at her. She was a pretty little thing. Teeny-tiny.

"I just made gumbo. Well, I still have to add the shrimp, but it's almost done. Right now I'm making apple pie," he said. He finished peeling the apple and cut it into pieces, coring it as he went.

"You get into a crazy mythical bunker like this and the first thing you do is make dinner? Didn't you want to explore the craziness?" she asked.

Benny picked up another apple. "It's not really my place. I mean, I don't want to snoop. I'm not exactly a free agent."

"You mean because the Alpha can scoop information out of your brain?"

"Precisely," Benny said. "In fact, make sure you don't give me any information about the location of this bunker. They're trying to keep me—and the Alpha, in the dark."

"Need any help with dinner? I'm not much of a cook, but I've always kind of wanted to learn," Charlie said.

"I've got the boring apple-peeling job done, but you can help me with the pastry," he said.

"I don't know. I think I'm more short order cook material than pastry chef material," she said.

"You'll do fine. I know a few tricks," Benny said.

"Cool," Charlie smiled happily. She kind of reminded Benny of Lizzie. She seemed like a kind person.

A few hours later the pie was done and the shrimp was in the gumbo. Charlie felt like Benny's old friend, although a lot of the stuff she talked about didn't make a lot of sense to him. They decided to go tell Dean and Sam dinner was ready.

Cas, a kid Benny assumed was Kevin, and a skinny guy who didn't look at all like a hunter who could only be Garth, were also sitting at the table all discussing something.

Charlie stepped into the room and announced with an odd flourish, "Dinner's ready. And I helped!"

"How's it going?" Benny asked.

Dean didn't answer, but proceeded to introduce everyone, confirming Benny's suspicions about who everyone was.

Benny kept on looking at Cas. It was so weird. Somehow you could tell he was human. It was just somehow obvious. He couldn't get over it.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Cas asked.

"Why d'ya think?" Benny asked.

Cas rolled his eyes. Benny had wondered if he was going to get along with him better now that the angel was human, but it didn't seem like it. They just didn't relate well to each other for some reason.

"What's for dinner?" Garth asked. Benny could tell he was trying to keep the peace. Boy, a hunter who was some kind of Zen. That was new.

"We made gumbo," Benny said.

"You can't exactly give me credit for the gumbo. I just did shrimp stuff. I did lots of stuff for the pie, though," Charlie said.

Dean perked up. "You made pie? With your own hands?"

"It ain't hard," Benny said. "And y'all are kind of trying to do me a huge favour."

"A huge favour that might kill you," Sam murmured.

"Don't worry so much, Sam. If it makes you feel any better about it, I'm already dead. Several times over. And if it doesn't work out, it's not like I haven't lived a full life," Benny said.

Sam gave a kind of sickly half smile. "So, should we eat this gumbo?"

"Sure," Benny said.

They all moved into the kitchen and sat down at the large table. The kitchen was fifties cool with dark green tile everywhere and red vinyl furniture. Benny put out bowls of gumbo and put some cold beer in cans in the centre of the table with a torn up baguette in a basket. Charlie had already set the table like an over-eager teenager.

Everyone remarked on how delicious the gumbo was. Benny had tasted it, of course, but it wasn't the same as tasting it with human taste buds. Part of him was never sure if his cooking was all that good.

He knew Dean, at least, approved of his pie, and this pissed Cas off for some reason that Benny couldn't figure out.

"You can't even try the pie?" Charlie prodded.

"Not this time, Charlie," Benny said. He looked over at Sam thoughtfully. "Maybe next time."


End file.
